Ardyn started pacing around the room. He felt so restless that he couldn’t bring himself to stay still.
To be honest, he didn’t know what to feel. He had only been in this world for a few hours at most. He couldn’t help but feel doubt and disbelief.
Because why should he accept this so easily? So far, the only pieces of proof that he had were the magic spheres and the display of magic that Evan had showed him earlier in town. He didn’t doubt that magic existed, but regarding the topic of this… this fabled monster…
He couldn’t even imagine it. He needed more convincing, but he also wasn’t sure if it was a great idea to see the monster for himself. He was unprepared, unequipped, and most of all, he was afraid.
So his first instinct was to reject it. To deny it.
He didn’t believe in any destiny kind of nonsense even back in his world, so why should he do so now?
“Ardyn, you don’t have much of a choice,” Evan said, his expression displaying an inexplicable sadness. “You’re not safe here, and truthfully, not anywhere else, either. However, you can fight back. You can learn. You have the potential.”
He approached Ardyn, took the latter’s hands in his, and squeezed them gently.
“You can still live on,” he assured. ‘I’ll help you.”
Ardyn shook his head. “But I don’t have magic. I don’t have skills. I don’t have anything.”
“Yes, you do.” Evan studied his expression. “Tell me something. Do you have a mark on your body?”
“A mark?” Ardyn repeated. “You mean a birthmark? No, I don’t have any.”
“No, no. Not a birthmark. A ‘Mark’. It’s called ‘The Summoner’s Mark’, because the mark that the Guardians bear is the same as their Summoner’s. It’s basically a symbol somewhere on your body that lights up the moment you’re born, and also whenever you use your magic.”
“Pardon?” Ardyn shook his head. “No… No, I don’t have any mark on my body.”
“What?” Now it was Evan’s turn to look puzzled. “But that’s impossible. All the Otherworlders had marks on their bodies.”
Ardyn gave a wry smile. “Then maybe I’m special.” He sighed. “What did happen to all those like me, anyway?”
He had been afraid to ask earlier, but this was now or never.
“They…” Evan began.
“They’re all gone,” Mathias answered quietly. The frosty look in his eyes had disappeared, replaced by a weariness that clung to his bones, making him appear slightly hunched over.
“…What?” Ardyn said.
“You can read all about it in the Book of the Otherworlders. I’ll give it to you later,” Evan assured him. “It’s been 200 years since the last Otherworlder arrived here. You’re the first one we’ve had in a long, long time.”
Ardyn had nothing to say to that.
But he started to become curious. He thought back to his memories of when he was a child, when he was a teenager, and when he entered college. He had seen his body thousands of times. He knew it best.
But he couldn’t remember any kind of special mark on his body whatsoever. He would know.
There was nothing… right?
“A crescent moon…” he murmured.
“What?” Evan said, unable to hear the words just now.
Ardyn suddenly felt a little disoriented. Why did he say that all of a sudden?
“This mark… Does it glow?” he asked.
Evan nodded. “I’ve read that the Otherworlders’ marks are blue, which is different from the usual marks which glow orange.”
“Blue…” Ardyn tasted the word on his tongue, as though it were a foreign term.
It was so strange. Why did it feel like he had an important piece of memory in his hands, but it kept slipping through his fingers like water?
“Prince,” Mathias suddenly interjected. “It’s almost time for you to return to the banquet preparations. His Majesty will be worried if you don’t show up.”
“Ah. Right.” Evan let go of Ardyn’s hands and patted his shoulder reassuringly. “You should attend the banquet. We’ll talk more later about what you need to know, okay?”
“Right. Got it.” Ardyn felt the tension slowly leave his shoulders.
At that moment, he felt a sense of gratitude. He couldn’t even imagine someone else other than Evan finding him here. He would’ve already been screwed if not for him.
“Thank you,” he said softly, which made Evan give him a sunny smile.
“Don’t worry. I’ll help you find your Summoner. Just give me some time, okay? As a Summoner and one of the sworn protectors of this kingdom, I won’t let anything happen to you.” He held up his pinky finger. “I promise.”
Dazed, Ardyn didn’t even bother making a joking remark about Evan’s childish gesture. He just reached out his hand and locked their pinkies together, chuckling all the while.
Even though they had only met each other today, Ardyn already felt a growing affection for the young Prince.
Evan was like the little brother he never had.
“I also promise to give this Guardian thing a chance,” he vowed. “And also — wait. What did you just say?”
“Huh?” Evan said, puzzled.
Ardyn blinked rapidly as Evan’s earlier words finally processed inside his mind. “Did you just say that you’re…”
Evan tilted his head, confused. “What?”
Mathias chuckled a little, which was a welcome sound coming from him.
“I think he means that he didn’t know that you’re a Summoner, Your Highness,” he clarified.
“Oh!” Evan laughed. “Did I never mention it before? My bad. Yes, I’m a Summoner.” He gestured towards Mathias, who nodded at him in response. “And Matty here is one of my Guardians.”
“Oh, so that’s why!” Ardyn’s eyes were wide. “So that’s why you can use magic!”
“Yep!” Evan confirmed.
“Can’t you be my Summoner instead?” Ardyn joked.
“Unfortunately, that’s not how it works. Though I would be glad if you were,” Evan said graciously. “But I already found all seven a long time ago. You belong to a different Summoner.”
He smiled softly.
“And trust me, once you find them someday, you’ll know. And you’ll feel like your life is complete for the very first time.”